More than £2m has been clawed back from criminals in Scotland in the past six months under the Proceeds of Crime Act, it was announced yesterday.

The Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini, has revealed that prosecutors secured confiscation orders worth £1,167,782 from criminals convicted of various offences since April. A further £839,396 was recovered through civil recovery orders and cash seizures.

It takes the total figure secured through the courts since the powers were granted five years ago to £17.5m.

Prosecutors have also restrained approximately £10.5m worth of assets from convicted and alleged drug dealers, money launderers and fraudsters during the first six months of this financial year. Ms Angiloini said: "We continue to use the Proceeds of Crime Act to disrupt criminal activity at every level.

"The act strips individuals of profits from criminal activity and stops them from moving money around or freeing up money through the sale of assets, and ultimately helps put criminals out of business.

"All of us who are involved in tackling crime, and especially serious and organised crime, will continue to use the full extent of the law to ensure that those who would seek to profit from crime, whether they are street corner drug dealers, high level drug barons, or people who commit white collar' crime, will not succeed."

Money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act, up to a maximum of £17m a year, is invested by Scottish Ministers in community projects aimed at alleviating the effects of crime.

The National Casework Division in the Crown Office deals with the confiscation of the proceeds of crime following conviction.

The Civil Recovery Unit can recover money from those suspected to have profited from crime or money which was intended for use in crime.